Mário Macilau, 1984

Mário Macilau was born in 1984 in Maputo, Mozambique. Like plants that do not choose the garden where they sprout, Macilau was born into a newly independent nation in the midst of the most critical phase of the civil war.

Around 1990, his family faced financial hardship and moved from Inhambane Province to Maputo in search of better living conditions. At the age of ten, Macilau began working in a small market frequented by the middle and upper classes — washing cars and helping carry groceries to support his family.

Macilau began photographing in 2003 and became a full-time professional in 2007. He sees photography as a space for creative and active expression. His work alternates between conceptual photography and long-term documentary projects, focusing on contemporary social issues, cultural heritage, post-conflict environments, and the relationship between people and their surroundings.

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